Numerous ferro-alloys are available to be used as additions to basic steel metals of either the carbon steel types, low alloy steel types, high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) types, and even stainless steels and other special steel types. Typical examples would be ferrovanadium, ferrotitanium, ferrocolumbium, ferroboron, and numerous other boron-containing master-alloys, including "Grainal 79". The latter has a nominal composition of Fe- 20 Ti- 13 Al- 4 Zr- 0.50 B and is used effectively as a boron addition to air-melted steels which are poured into a ladle. The aluminum contained in this material acts as an effective deoxidizer to the steel to protect the Ti, Zr, and B from burning up in the molten metal. They are thus retained in the steel to improve the hardenability of the metal. Both the Ti and Zr also act as deoxidants in the steel to some extent, just as Al, but their primary utility is to prevent "fading" of the boron effect on hardenability when the ingots, slabs, or billets are heated to as high as 2350 F. for processing.
Even at heating temperatures of 2200 F. for prolonged periods of time up to only 12 hours, the elements of vanadium, columbium, and aluminum have been shown to be ineffective in retaining the boron effect on hardenability. Only Ti and Zr have been proven to be highly effective in this application .